View full sizeEllis Lucia, The Times-Picayune archivePlastic pink flamingoes are placed outside the home of St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain on Feb. 17 to welcome him home after surgery. Susie Kaznowitz installed the yard decor on behalf of the St. Tammany Humane Society, which provides the 'flocking' as a creative and eye-catching fundraiser.

After he came home from a jog, his wife Lisa Strain, a nurse, took his pulse and detected an irregular heartbeat. At a news conference Thursday, Strain credited his wife's instincts for his decision to seek medical advice and undergo the potentially life-saving surgery, and he urged others to watch out for early signs of potential problems.

"My appeal is: Just because you take care of yourself, don't think you're invulnerable," Strain said.

The first sign of trouble occurred a year ago, when Strain noticed his heart had "skipped a beat." Because there was no pain, the sheriff initially brushed off the incident and blamed subsequent symptoms such as fatigue on the aging process. Strain continued to brush off suggestions to see a doctor until February.

Doctors at Lakeview Regional Medical Center, where Strain was treated, said the sheriff was born with only two leaves on his bicuspid aortic valve, instead of the three that are typical. The condition, which is shared by about 2 percent of the population, can lead to calcification that blocks the valve and makes it difficult for blood to flow.

Without the surgery, Strain likely would have died within two years, said Pramod Menon, Strain's cardiologist.

To thank the hospital for its work, Strain had Lakeview "flocked" by the St. Tammany Parish Humane Society, which placed temporary pink flamingos on the hospital grounds in exchange for a donation. Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre had Strain's house "flocked" after his surgery as a get-well gift.

Strain, who has been resting at home since the surgery, said he was feeling fine after the surgery and was ready to go back to work.